Sermons
Sermon delivered by Rev. Mike Still on 4th May 2025 at All Saints Queensbury-Third Sunday after Easter.
(John 21 – Catch of Fish)
The Gospel today can be thought of in several distinct, but linked, parts.
Firstly, there is the description of how the disciples did not recognise Jesus, again, after his resurrection. He has appeared to them on the shore, after they had spent a long night of fishing with no success, but they do not see him as he truly was. It took their obedience to try once more casting their nets to the other side of the boat, and the huge catch of fish, for Peter first to recognise him – “it is the Lord”.
It has been the miracle which allowed Peter to see him as he now was, the transformed Jesus, risen from the grave.
The large number of fish caught symbolises the mission that they all were to inherit, that the disciples were indeed now to become fishers of men. It seems strange that John’s gospel includes the detail of the precise number of fish caught – 153 – but the inclusion of this specific number is perhaps to represent the number of species of fish known at that time. If that is the case, then the inclusion of that detail would symbolise that the catch represents the universal mission of the church. The breakfast meal that they celebrated with Jesus was then a repeat of that Last Supper which Jesus had celebrated with them a few weeks previously.
The final part of this reading clearly gives us a story of Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter.
After what had happened on Holy Thursday night, it could easily be assumed that Jesus would have written Peter off as being cowardly, weak and unreliable. To many people that would have been the only option open to him. Peter had been the leader of the apostolic team; but now what a terrible example he was setting to the others!
Yet Jesus did not write him off – he didn’t even demote him. Jesus’ betrayal by Judas had been a cold, calculated act, planned and executed in a callous manner. Peter’s three-fold denial was not malicious, it was simply the result of weakness.
Jesus recognised that there was a better side to Peter – with strength and weakness co-existing in him. With his questioning of Peter, Jesus was able to restore him, now humbler and wiser, to where he had been before – and made him chief shepherd of the new flock.
This time, of course, Peter came good - it was he who led the apostles in witnessing to the resurrection, and with that authority, it was clear that Jesus had indeed forgiven
Peter completely, but also it showed that the church should be founded on God’s love, forgiveness and faithfulness.
Peter was forgiven, and his ‘penance’ was to feed, to care for, and to nurture the flock which was to grow around their community. Peter would not have forgotten his denial of Jesus, but he does not appear to be haunted by that sin – he has learned from it, and would have been full of gratitude that Jesus was keeping no record of his previous failing.
Peter had learnt the painful truth that he wasn’t as strong or as brave as he thought he was – like him, what we are, and what we think we are, are often rather different.
Peter can be a great consolation to us. We should be able to recognise in ourselves the frailties which we see in Peter. In spite of our sins, and even denials of Jesus, we can be sure that God loves us, and will bring us back into a right relationship with him. God understands our weaknesses, and doesn’t write us off for our frequent failings.
We need always to remember that we must not judge ourselves or others by our inevitable momentary lapses, but by our consistent commitment to our beliefs over a longer period of time. Amen.
Rev. Mike Still
4.5.25
Waltham Drive
Queensbury
Edgware
Middx
HA8 5PQ